AN: Yes, I'm alive. I've just been dealing with school stuff and some minor health issues that both make it hard to write. This is mostly a filler chapter again. A lot more Seth and Kay content than I expected, but, whatever. Kinda wanted to showcase that these two dunderheads do *like* each other, even if most of the time their relationship is a rivalry.

The Second Riddle

One more day until the next contest. One day to prepare for whatever the Pharaoh's council had in store next while everyone else had gotten three.

Once again, I cursed myself for my mistake against Shada.

I awoke the next morning aching, but forced myself to ignore it as I got out of bed, dressed, and began warming up with my knife. I moved through my footwork with only a little bit of wobbling, and for the first time in days, I felt completely normal.

My eye caught the khopesh the Pharaoh had given me, and I picked it up. It still bothered me a bit that I was using a weapon that was a gift from him, but I wasn't about to turn down the advantage a sword provided.

The story he'd told me about it before the first contest intrigued me. That Abasi had created it, by the Pharaoh's order, as a gift for… someone. Someone who the Pharaoh seemed to care about very much.

And now, it seemed, he had given it to me.

What Lord Aknadin had said on the balcony stuck in my mind. Why had the Pharaoh chosen to give me something that was apparently so precious to him? My first assumption upon receiving the sword had been that he'd been trying to bribe me, but surely he could have done so with something less sentimental.

At least I had gleaned the smallest amount more about who this mysterious person was. She. A woman. A woman the Pharaoh seemed excessively fond of. Who he was sure would admire and trust me as much as he seemed to.

My first thought was Mother, but I shook it away. Father's relationship with her had been one of power and fear, and commissioning such an expensive gift for her was unlikely. Mother had always preferred knives anyway.

I frowned.

"There you go again, Kay, musing about things that don't matter," I told myself. "Who cares who the Pharaoh was originally going to give it to. It's yours now, and it will no doubt be useful later-"

"Do you often talk to yourself or did that Shada knock out more of your brain than I thought?"

I whirled around. "Seth," I said, trying to keep my voice level to avoid giving away how much the other acolyte had startled me.

"Your room doesn't sound like a good place to train," Seth said.

"Where would you rather I train? With you?" I replied mildly.

"Are you still annoyed about the sword thing?" Seth said, folding his arms. "Look, I acknowledge that it was a stupid thing for me to do, and it makes sense for you to hold a grudge, but you're a good fighter, and I'd rather have you as an ally than an enemy."

"Who said anything about a grudge? I was only asking if you were insinuating you wanted to train with me," I replied. "It's curious to offer that out of the blue."

"I wasn't implying any of that, but, fine, meet me in the training courtyard," Seth replied. "Don't make it weird." Under his breath, as he walked away, he muttered, "Ra's name, would it kill you to have one normal conversation?"

I followed Seth out of my room.
"You know, I have always trained alone. And yet since I got here, three different people have asked to train with me. Maahad, Mana, and now you."

"I said don't make it weird!" Seth hissed. "You're strange, jackal-boy, but you're a good fighter, one of the best in this whole tournament. There's going to be a lot of people itching to learn from you."

I stopped, blinked, and then hurried after him, still not sure what he meant.

When I entered the training courtyard, Kisara was already there, sitting on the sand meditating.

"We've got ourselves a third sparring partner," Seth said, prompting the white-haired girl to open her eyes.

"Kay? Seth, are you sure-?"

"If we don't train with him, he's going to do it by himself, and I'd rather be watching him than have you and Mana claw my face off for letting him hurt himself," Seth said flatly. "Come on, jackal-boy, grab a prop sword."

I picked up one of the wooden swords from the crate on the side of the courtyard.

"Do you want to fight me first?" I asked.

"Depends on whether you'll be able to give me a challenge like the other day," Seth replied.

"What makes you think I won't?"

"I want to face Kay at least once," Kisara said. "Now that I've seen you fight, I can safely say that you're just about as good as Mana made you out to be."

"Mana talked to you about my fighting?" I asked, trying to tell myself that it didn't matter if she had.

"Hey, jackal cub, are we sparring or not?!" Seth cut in as Kisara giggled.

We leveled our prop swords and assumed battle stances.

Seth moved first, however, it turned out to be a feint, and I had to quickly dodge his real first attack.

We circled each other, eyeing each other for openings. I lunged, Seth blocked, and for a minute, we were caught in a stalemate. I turned to the side, forcing Seth to break the stalemate, and then quickly struck him in the side.

"Hmph. Impressive, jackal-boy. Here I thought your injury caused you to lose your edge."

"Oh, don't worry, I won't lose my edge for a long time," I replied.

"Yeah? How about this!" Seth quickly swiped at me with the prop sword. I dove underneath the blow, sliding between his legs and scrambling back up behind him. He swore and dodged out of the way before I could strike his exposed back. We found ourselves in a stalemate once more.

"There are times being small has its advantages," I said.

"Maybe, but being taller has its advantages too!" Seth snapped back, before he forced his sword down on top of mind, pushing me toward the ground. I broke out of the stalemate, scrambling out from underneath him and circling him from a safe distance.

"Oh! Good morning, Kay, Seth, Kisara! I wasn't expecting the training courtyard to be this crowded already!"

I looked up to see Maahad standing at the entrance of the courtyard. "Maahad. I assume you're here for the combat tutoring I promised you?"

"In part. I was originally going to read out here. Early in the morning before no one's using it, it's rather peaceful."

"Hey! Jackal cub, we're in the middle of a fight, here!" Seth shouted. "Wait your turn, scroll worm!"

I turned back to find Seth rushing at me with his prop sword, quickly parrying it.

"You can teach me later, once you've finished sparring with Seth," Maahad said. "I'll just be over here." The young mage sat down at the edge of the sand pit, opening the scroll he'd been holding to read.

With that, Seth and I continued our spar, swinging and dodging and parrying each other's blows all over the sand pit.

"I want a turn eventually," Kisara said dryly as our fight raged on.

Seth trapped me in a stalemate. "As soon as this jackal boy gives up, sure!"

"I won't give up!"

Other competitors looking to use the training courtyard were gathering to watch.

"Hey, aren't those two the ones who beat Shada and Iry the other day?"

"They're pretty evenly matched…"

"I wonder who's going to win!"

"Kay!"

I froze at the familiar voice calling my name, but forced myself to focus on Seth, who was circling me looking for an opening.

"Kay, are you okay down there!?"

I felt my face get hot as I saw, out of the corner of my eye, Mana, standing near the front of the audience gathering and waving her arms frantically, trying to get my attention.

"Calm down, Mana, he has to concentrate!" Kisara insisted.

I tried to tune out the whispers rippling across the small crowd, however, Seth managed to surprise me, almost knocking me down.

"Getting tired yet?" Seth asked.

I didn't answer, instead lunging at Seth with my own attack.

Suddenly, a hush fell over the room. I turned to see the entire crowd bowing. Seth even dropped his own prop sword in order to bow as well. After taking a moment to register this, I whirled around to find Pharaoh Aknamkanon, Lord Aknadin, and Lady Isis standing there. After a shocked heartbeat, I knelt as well.

"I wondered what was causing so much commotion in the courtyard this morning," Lord Aknamkanon said. "Oh, don't mind me, young friends, continue your match."

Seth and I picked up our swords to resume sparring again, glancing at the Pharaoh and two of his councillors as if expecting one of them to start scolding us.

Seth was the first to attack. I hurried to block it, and the fight resumed.

"Of course it is these two again," Lady Isis remarked. "At least they're using the prop swords this time."

Lord Aknadin bristled.

I jumped away from a sword blow from Seth, turning around and locking blades with him. I had to admit, I was starting to get sore and tired. Part of me suspected the climbing I'd done last night, although such a strain had never been a problem for me before. I needed to end this fight quickly.

But how to do it? Seth knew a lot of my tricks already, and he wasn't going to let me get the upper hand in front of the councillor who favored him if he had anything to do with it.

Suddenly, I felt a pulse through my body. Something inside my mind stirred, an unintelligible voice. However, my feet were already changing position to obey whatever the voice said. When Seth attacked me next, instead of blocking or parrying the blow, I went with it, following his blade's trajectory with my own and spinning with the momentum. Before I knew it, I was behind Seth, and that strange instinct ordered me to charge into him, striking him in the back, then to dive down to strike his legs, slipping under him as I had done before.

I was suddenly standing over Seth, holding my wooden prop sword at his exposed back as he struggled to his feet, wiping sand off his face.

"What in Ammit's name…?" he asked. He scowled up at me. "Oh, don't rub it in." He got to his feet.

There was a moment of silence. Then everyone started talking at once.

"Whoa!"

"I was half-expecting the brunet guy to win…"

"They were on pretty even footing the whole time, I think."

"Have you seen a move like that before?"

"I mean, I've heard of taking a hit to gain an advantage, but I don't think I've ever seen someone use the momentum of the other guy's sword like that…"

"Wow! Kay! That was amazing!" As usual, Mana was that much louder than everyone else, causing everyone to look at her. She ran up to me and had her arms around me in a tight hug before I even knew what to think.

After a minute, she seemed to realize what she was doing, because she awkwardly and abruptly let go, stumbling back and almost falling on her rear in the sand. "That was such a cool move, Kay! I don't think I've ever seen you do that before! Did you always know how to do that!?"

I didn't reply, more focused on catching my breath and processing what had happened.

I turned to see the three councilors who had been watching. Lady Isis just looked curious, however, both Lord Aknamkanon and Lord Aknadin were staring at me in shock. Lord Aknamkanon, in particular, looked like he'd seen a ghost.

Lord Aknamkanon quickly disguised whatever shock what I'd done had caused him, and smiled. Unlike usual, it didn't reach his eyes, which were still distant as if he were a thousand miles away.

"That was incredibly skilled sparring, from both of you," he said. "Pardon the interruption, it just isn't often I see the courtyard so lively so early in the morning." He angled his head towards the small crowd of chattering competitors. He turned to leave the courtyard, Lady Isis and Lord Aknadin following behind him. I could have sworn I saw him stumble a bit, and then saw Isis quickly move to prop him up so everyone else wouldn't notice.

As soon as the Pharaoh left, the crowd began talking more earnestly.

"Glad we could give them a show," Seth said, somewhat flatly. "Kisara, you said you wanted to spar next?"

Kisara picked up a prop sword from the crate and gave it a few experimental swings. "Now I'm definitely interested in seeing what you can do."

I nodded.

As Seth passed me to sit on the side, he nudged me. "Where was that trick against Shada, then?"

I fidgeted with the prop sword. Even I wasn't certain where the idea had struck me from. It didn't match any move Mother had taught me, nor did I remember seeing another competitor using it.

"It came to me on the spot," I said, deciding that was truthful enough. It didn't quite capture the sense that someone else was guiding my footsteps, nor the gentle, firm voice I'd heard in my head, but I didn't want to confide such a thing in Seth. Nor, really, anyone. Not until I understood it myself.

"Would've been a lot easier if it came to you three days ago in the ring."

"Seth, don't be a sore loser," Kisara said mildly. "You're just mad Kay used it on you first."

As Seth sat down, he scowled at the crowd of people pressing in on him and asking him questions. After a minute, he snapped, "Can you chattering birds clear out of here? This is a training session, not a public festival!"

There were quite a few groans and grumbling, but most of the other competitors did trickle out of the courtyard.

I felt a tap on my shoulder, and turned to see Shada standing there.

"I could expect no less from one half of the team that bested mine," he said. "I heard that you were injured in our battle. I must apologize; I'm afraid I'm used to using such force on sparring partners."

"You don't have to apologize to me," I said coolly. "You were doing what you thought it would take to win. In your place, I doubt I would hold back."

Shada gave me an askance look. "Thank you for not holding a grudge - I suppose," he said, before he walked away to join the crowd. I saw him sit down and start talking to Seth, who, while annoyed, didn't object to him staying. I assumed to give him the same sort of apology.

I was puzzled why Shada was apologizing. I had been truthful when I said if that was what it had taken to win, I would have struck Shada the way he struck me in a heartbeat. It was my own fault that I had put myself in a position to get hit like that. Shada shouldn't have felt he had to apologize for my complacency.

I wondered if he was really apologetic, which, again, made no sense. Maybe the Pharaoh had instructed him to apologize. Lord Aknamkanon seemed prone to doing strange things like that.

"Now, Kisara," I said, raising my sword. "Now that there are no distractions, do you still want that match?"

The girl gave me a fierce look that almost mirrored Seth's. "Of course."

:

We trained until breakfast, and then after breakfast until lunch. Kisara was a challenge, and I supposed it shouldn't have surprised me, given what she'd said about being the only person - prior to me - who had bested Seth at swordplay. I did eventually best her, but it was only after a long fight that left both of us exhausted.

"I knew you were good after the match against Shada and Iry," she said. "Maybe Mana wasn't just telling tales when she said you killed an angry lion."

"Only a small one. Half-grown and sickly enough to have become a maneater," I said offhandedly.

Kisara stared at me, wide-eyed, before hurrying over to Seth and Mana.

"He did not just say what I thought he said," the white-haired girl huffed.

"He did say that and he did kill it. I told you, I was there!" Mana replied.

"That wasn't just a rumor?" Seth asked.

After that, I did teach Maahad some combat moves as promised.

"Your stance was alright during the match in the ring, but your grip wasn't quite right. In addition, I would advise against taunting an opponent stronger than you," I said.

"I know," Maahad said. "Just… you, Seth, and Kisara are the best fighters I've ever seen, and I thought if I acted more like one of you…"

"Confidence helps, but experience is a greater advantage. The contestants you faced in the ring the other day were more experienced with the sword than you. It couldn't be helped," I said. "Now, show me that you can keep your feet like how I showed you."

Maahad spent much of the next twenty minutes dodging it when I swung at him . With each subsequent time, his stance became a little more sure of itself, and he was stumbling less and less.

"Next," I said. "Try to attack me, like we practiced before."

Maahad swung his prop sword at me, only for it to glance off of mine.

"If you let it bounce off, it'll throw you off balance," I said. "Again."

Maahad managed to push back against me when I lunged at him, staying in a stalemate until I shoved to the side, forcibly breaking it up.

"Blocking is good, but getting in a stalemate can put you at a disadvantage if the other person is taller or stronger than you," I said, recalling what Seth had done to almost knock me down earlier. "Which means ending a stalemate on your terms is useful. Let me show you…"

Maahad was breathless and exhausted, but smiling as he came with us to breakfast. "Thank you for your help, Kay. I definitely feel better about my prospects fighting with what you've been teaching me."

"Don't get too ahead of yourself, scroll worm," Seth said. "It's only been two days."

"Seth, don't be rude! Maahad's definitely improving," Kisara cut in.

At breakfast, quite a few people were talking about my and Seth's training duel, and I got quite a few excited, curious looks from other competitors as I sat down.

Once again, I was the center of attention. At least I wasn't alone in getting attention I didn't want, as Seth had to shoo away a couple younger competitors who were bothering him with questions.

I got a glare from Lord Aknadin, and was reminded that I had once again earned the Eye-wielder's anger - by defeating his favorite competitor.

Lord Aknamkanon seemed to have mostly gotten over his shock, although a strange distance entered his eyes when he looked at me.

Other people who weren't talking about me and Seth were talking about the Pharaoh's riddle. Of course the fact a new contest was starting meant we would receive a new one. I wondered if this riddle would be difficult. The last one seemed obvious with hindsight, although, of course, the armored lioness had essentially given me the answer to the previous riddle in my dreams. I was sure she wouldn't do that for every riddle the Pharaoh posed.

Speaking of her…

I hadn't dreamt of the lioness in several days, not since the first contest day. As unsure as I was about the spirit's motives, a part of me I tried and failed to ignore did miss the nights spent in her realm. With her I felt safe and carefree in a way I could not afford to be while awake. It was nearly the same bliss as I had felt when the ghost woman had sung me to sleep. And there were still so many questions I had for her. How did she seem to know the Pharaoh so well, or, for that matter, me? She admitted to being an earthbound spirit in our first conversation, so what grievance had she lingered in the living world for? Why did she think my ka was close to manifesting when I hadn't managed to get it to give a sign of its identity once?

I pushed those thoughts away. Like my questions about the Queen and my sword, my questions about the armored lioness were not pertinent to my mission. I had to stop thinking about them.

I trained with Maahad after breakfast, guiding him through the basic sword attacks he knew and teaching him a few more. By lunch, I decided that while he wouldn't be able to face off against the likes of Shada, Jou, Seth, or myself, he had improved enough that he wouldn't be a liability in future combat situations.

"I'm ready for a break after lunch, how about you guys?" Kisara asked, before taking a bite of bread.

"I could use it as well," Maahad said. "What about you, Kay?"

"I will likely train more after we eat," I said. "I lost quite a bit of time with those days I was bed bound. I need to prepare."

"Just don't hurt yourself, Kay," Mana said firmly.

I sighed, knowing if I said anything contrary to that then she would argue. "I won't."

Seth scowled. "I can't train with you. Lord Aknadin wants to talk to me."

"Is it about…?" Maahad trailed off.

"It probably is about this morning," Seth said sharply. "You already know that Lord Aknadin has a bone to pick with the jackal cub." He huffed. "If it makes you feel any better, jackal-boy, I'll tell you what he says later. So you're not being talked about behind your back."

"That's nice of you, Seth!" Mana piped up. "I'm glad you and Kay are getting along now!"

"Don't. Push it," Seth growled.

At the end of lunch, Lord Aknamkanon stood up, prompting everyone to go quiet.

"As you all have likely guessed, a new contest begins tomorrow, and that means a new riddle for you to solve tonight!"

There were some whispers, but they quieted when the Pharaoh raised his hand.

"Please, please, settle down. I want you all to be able to hear this."

Mana frowned. "I hope it's not as vague as the last one…"

"The riddle is this," Lord Aknamkanon said. "Your fate twists and turns in a master plan, and then finds itself back where you began."

The competitors at the table started whispering again.

"That is the only clue you will receive to anticipate the next contest. As before, confiding information about the contest to another person prior to the contest itself, so as to give them an advantage over everyone else, is forbidden. Good luck to all of you, my young friends."

After lunch, as I left the banquet hall, I heard voices.

"I know what I saw with my own eyes."

"Brother, I saw it, too. Perhaps it isn't as unique as you think."

Lord Aknamkanon and Lord Aknadin? What are they talking about?

I crept closer to listen, hiding around the corner and behind a pillar, as their shadows crept along the wall towards me.

"No, Aknadin. No. That was…" Lord Aknamkanon's voice broke off. "That was her move. I lost count of the number of times I saw her using that technique. I would know it anywhere. I never thought I would see someone perform it again…"

"So the wild boy is able to perform it. That is hardly earth shattering, he is a very clever swordsman, after all," Lord Aknadin said, his voice thick with irony. "In fact, I overheard him tell Seth he made it up on the spot. Mystery solved."

"Aknadin, I-" Lord Aknamkanon broke off. "Perhaps you're right. Perhaps it is a coincidence. Or the wistful daydreams of an old man." Lord Aknamkanon's voice was trembling, somehow taut like a string poised to snap any moment. He sounded like he was holding back tears.

I slowly backed away from the pillar and ran off down the hallway, not caring when I brushed against competitors dispersing back to their rooms, the palace library, or the training courtyard from the dining hall.

The entire afternoon, I trained every skill I could think of, trying not to think about the conversation I had overheard, that I was most certainly meant not to overhear.

Something about the maneuver I had used in my training spar against Seth meant something to Lord Aknamkanon. It belonged to someone, prior to my use of it. Someone who Lord Aknamkanon at least seemed to care deeply about.

It was a contradiction, a paradox. The Pharaoh was a tyrant and a monster. I knew that, and had known it since before I could walk. His being able to care for someone, much less cry over them, just didn't fit in that image.

I told myself that of course the Pharaoh could easily pretend to care for someone. The man had lived the lie of being a kind and benevolent ruler for more than fifteen years. Of course he would have many masks in place to make the suspicious trust him and the trusting love him. It was laughable to think he wasn't capable of a few crocodile tears.

However, the sword, and the maneuver, stuck in my mind. Now, although it was difficult without another sword and another opponent to bounce momentum off of, I tried to do it again.

I felt gentle touches guiding my feet when they misstepped, and heard the comforting murmur in my head from this morning.

It was almost as if someone were… teaching me, although Mother had never taught me like this.

"Kay, are you practicing that move?"

I turned to see Seth standing behind me.

"I am. I thought it would be useful, since it proved itself to be useful against you."

"Go ahead, then. I kind of want to see it from the outside, when it's not being used against me." He folded his arms. "Well? I'm back from Lord Aknadin's talk. Still interested in learning what he said?"

"I am," I said.

"First he went off on insulting you. That he expected me to beat you. Honestly, what I expected."

"And then?"

"He was curious about how you knew that move. I told him you said you made it up."

"What's so incredible about that move? Both the Pharaoh and Lord Aknamkanon seemed shocked that I knew it."

"I mean, I've never seen a move like that before. Making up a swordplay move on the spot is impressive," Seth replied.

"Lord Aknadin pulled you aside for a private talk just to tell you that?"

Seth scowled. "I know. Maybe he just needed someone to complain at and the Pharaoh wasn't in a listening mood."

I laughed. It burst out of me in a gasp of air, sounding strange and sharp, and I quickly covered my mouth.

"So you do have a sense of humor," Seth said. "Thank the gods, I was getting worried."

Once I had recovered, I asked, "How are you doing on the riddle?"

"I have an answer, but don't think I'm going to tell you."

"I know. I believe I may have the answer myself," I replied.

"Really? Good for you, then. Want to spar again?"

"I brought my bow. How much do you think they'll object to an archery competition?" I asked.

"As long as we don't hit anyone, I don't think they'll care. Just let me go back to my room and get mine."

"Who wins? First to… 300?"

"Make that 600 and you're on," Seth said. "That magician girl told me you're a good shot. Make sure to prove it."

"I will."